


SONICTOBER 2020

by startrek22



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Afterlife, Aged-Up Character(s), Backstory, Body Horror, F/M, Far Future, Gen, M/M, Post-Canon, Sonictober, chatfic, cosmic horror, musical parody
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 05:00:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 31
Words: 12,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26739979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/startrek22/pseuds/startrek22
Summary: For each day of the month, I’ve written a short story - wildly varying in length! Some of them are connected, as well.
Relationships: Amy Rose/Sonic the Hedgehog, Avatar | Custom Hero (Sonic Forces)/Infinite (Sonic the Hedgehog), Blaze the Cat/Silver the Hedgehog, Knuckles the Echidna/Rouge the Bat, Vanilla the Rabbit/Vector the Crocodile
Comments: 5
Kudos: 24





	1. MOVIE

1\. MOVIE

They started coming out around 10 or 15 years after the end of the war. War movies - packed with action, romance, suspense, grit, all sorts of emotion. It was a generational thing - the way popular culture was dealing with the war, reshaping and reflecting off of itself. Everyone who lived through that time had a different story to tell; each voice worthy of a movie, or book, or ballad. 

The ones who had lived through it, those who had survived, were thankful about about these movies in one aspect. The big screen would be the only way the new, post-war generation would ever have to live through the fighting. They wouldn’t have to smell the burning fires that went on for days, taste the ash in their mouths. Feel the horrible rush of adrenaline, as flesh-and-blood soldiers met with robotic troops in a flurry of laser blasts and Wispon bursts.  
  
No, the children would only see it in movies, read about it in books and feel it in the memorials and museums they went to. There were already plans for a big museum, near the former Resistance base outside of South Island City. Sonic the Hedgehog, the world-famous war hero and Resistance leader, had put out an autobiography which had been sitting comfortably on the best-sellers’ list for years - and would stay there for quite a while. 

Things were changing in so many ways. Even now, children from another world, Sol - much like Earth, but different in small ways - would come to wander and play freely. Scientists had opened a kind of portal between the two planets, and people could pass through as they wanted - with passports, of course. 

All eyes were turned to the horizon. Peace would come over the Earth, and worlds beyond it; war would only become a memory, a thing of the past to be honored as a terrible sacrifice.

War was going to be a fantasy of the past. Something to make movies about.


	2. 2. RHYME

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short musical parody, covering some of the many characters of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.

The Characters of Sonic the Hedgehog

Brought to you by startrek22.

(To be sung to the rhythm of “Yakko’s World”, made famous by Animaniacs)

_ [Instrumental lead-in] _

“Sonic and Sonic, and Shadow and Silver, and Knuckles, Amy, Blaze, and Tails

Marine and Cream and Cheese, Metal and Infinite, Eggman, Tikal, and the Chao

Omega and Espio, Vector and Charmy, Rouge, Jet, Wave, Storm - second-to-none

Emerl and Gemerl and Gerald and Mighty, Ray, everyone who is in G.U.N.

There’s Froggy and Big the Cat, Fang who is also Nack, Orbot and Cubot and Nega,

Whisker and Merlina, Elise and Vanilla, Shahra and also Maria!

_ [Key change] _

Sally and Bunnie, and Antoine and Rotor, and Scourge and his villainous crew

Lara-Le, Julie-Su, Naugus and Geoffrey, and Lara-Su, Bernadette, too!

Snively and Honey and Breezie and Nicole, Shard, Monkey Khan and Enerjak

Zonic and Dulcy, Finitevus, Uncle Chuck - Most of them recently sacked

There’s Cosmo, Chris Thorndyke, and Sam Speed and Metarex, Bean the Dynamite and Bark

Zik, Zomom, Zor, Zazz, and Zeena and Zavok, 

and don’t forget Mephiles the Dark!

_ [Key Change] _

Gamma and Alpha, Beta, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, and Grounder and Scratch

Steward and Sara and Whisper and Tangle,and everybody who’s in SMASH!

There’s Nicky and Gadget, Mario and Mega Man

Light and Dark Gaia and Chip

Iblis and Ifrit,the cute little Animals

Sticks, Sonia, Manic and Wisps

There’s Black Doom and Coconuts, Wreck it Ralph, Lien-Da, Zone Cops and the Queen Aleena

Dave the Intern, Gardon, Witchcart and Kintobor

Muttski, Sir Connery, Tommy, King Arthur

And Colin, Dr. Starline, Tails Doll, Illumina

Jewel, and Chief Pachacamac!


	3. III. TEARS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An inter-dimensional patrolman struggles with a sudden shift in reality.

TEAR  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Super Genesis Wave. A tear in the multiverse, sending out rippling shockwaves that shook the dimensions around it like soft cloth sheets, ripping it and mending it together in colorful new patterns.

Throwing things around like a tornado, tearing universes apart into dust.

Who would remember how it used to be, now that so much was gone?

When he came to, he was...

...

Where the hell was he?

The first thing the private did, after making sure he wasn’t split in two, was put a call out on his radio.

“This is Zone Cop Zonnor, ID Number 347-ARC-276, calling out on emergency frequency one! .... I-I repeat, Zone Cop Zonnor, Number 347-ARC-276, calling out on emergency frequency one! Zone Cop deployment, respond!”

... Nothing but static.

“... Calling out to No Zone HQ! This is Zone Cop Zonnor, 347-ARC-276, putting out a distress signal to No Zone HQ! Do you read me?”

...

No response.  He was... He was alone. 

What had happened? Where was everyone? He was deployed with Squad H-13-Delta, on routine patrol... and, now, he was in...

Where  _ was _ he?

Zonnor darted his head around, scanning his environment. The sky was some kind of mixture of every kind of color, bright and dim, warm and cool, mixing like a watercolor. The dry ground stretched out, smooth and cracking like dry mud and clay, seeming to dip below the horizon that was only a couple of miles off.

He was on some kind of small planetoid - one that must have been about 10 miles in diameter. Looking up, there were other rounded masses, suspended in the sky. Wispy, luminescent clouds drifted between them, twisting around their orbits in a strange dance.  There was some kind of building, on one of the other planets in the distance. It appeared to be .. some kind of diner?  
  
The soldier double-checked his systems. His spatial stabilizer was turned off, but he wasn’t being affected by the normal dimensional pull. Theoretically,he could use the stabilizer to manipulate his personal gravity, sending himself towards the other planets. It was worth a shot. Sending himself upwards, he drifted through the gaseous clouds of color, up to the restaurant’s front, then slowly rotated to place himself upright. He couldn’t make out the name in bold red letters on the front - even his translator couldn’t un-scramble it - but it seemed oddly trustworthy.

Stepping in, he froze.

Half of the ‘patrons’ in the restaurant, he couldn’t even see. He knew that there was something occupying the seats, but he simply couldn’t tell what they were. There was just blank space, reclining in booths and picking up drinks. The ones he could see didn’t make any more sense. One of them was covered in black and white stripes, and their face seemed to be just a hole. An infinitely deep hole, one he nearly got lost looking into. The being seemed to be annoyed by his staring.

Another had 10 limbs. No, 2.  No, at least a hundred. Maybe... maybe more? Or less? Quaking a bit, he took measured steps towards the counter. As he approached, the cook turned his direction, and shifted its’ form into a wolf. Not a wolf like the ones he knew, though. One with a longer body, smaller eyes. It was like it was... trying to make him at ease. Taking a form he recognized, but getting the details wrong.

“... Excuse me.” He coughed. “I am Zone Cop-“

“Zonnor, huh? Some kind of policeman, I see. We don’t get a lot of mortals in here ...” The cook seemed to pull a dish out of nowhere. It was a grilled cheese sandwich.   
  
Zonnor looked down. It was exactly how his mother used to make them. Down to the smiley face, drawn in mayonnaise, on the inside of the bread.

“Pardon me for asking, but, what’s your story? I’d like to hear it how  you  tell it.” The cook leaned his elbows on the counter, resting his head on his hands, as the soldier sat down unsteadily in his seat.

“Um.. Well, sir.” He straightened up, keeping his composure. “I am a member of an inter-dimensional police force. We’re in charge of transit between the universes we monitor, as well as combatting extra-dimensional criminal activity under our jurisdiction.”

The cook seemed to chuckle, howl, growl and sneer at the same time, though his mouth barely moved. “Well, I’d say you’re a little lost. Do you know where you are, right now?”

“... No, sir.”

“You’re in the outside. The world-between-worlds, the space in between dimensions. The Cosmos, Multiverse, Void, celestial sea, whatever you like to call it.”

... the space between dimensions? There were stories of patrols accidentally passing through some sort of surreal area between their origin and their destination, but that was assumed to be visual artifacts from warp travel.

“Well, could you.. point me back to my assigned sector?”

“Sure. Lemme just take a look...” His eyes glazed over for a millisecond, as if he was focusing out on the distance. Looking outwards, into the Cosmos.  Then, a slight tinge of worry crossed his face. “Oh, dear. Seems like there’s been a serious upset in your corner of the multiverse.”

“Upset?”

“Yep. From what I can tell, someone or something’s flung everything out of whack. It’s all jumbled up, split up and mashed apart, into a whole jumble. I’m not sure if your HQ exists, anymore.”

HQ? ... Was HQ  _gone_? Where were his squad mates? His family? Did the No Zone even still exist?

“Don’t worry.”

With those two words, a calm washed over him, though he didn’t know why.

“Your squad members, and your family, are fine, out there someplace. At the very worst, they’re at peace. But.. I think you’re alone now, pal. It’s just you.”

...

_ It’s just you. _

... It was just him.

He was alone.  The last living citizen of the No Zone.

The Last Zone Cop.

All those universes - those worlds, those people, their lives - now existed only in his memory.

The last zone cop laid his head down on the counter, and cried.


	4. IV. EXPERIMENT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A young scientist runs a test on a mysterious source of energy - with himself as the test subject.
> 
> (TW: Body Horror)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was inspired by fanart made by IndigoBeats. Check them out on twitter!

This experiment was one of the riskiest Tails had undertaken to date. Having all seven Chaos Emeralds in one location was already dangerous enough; if word got out, an attack would come shortly. Still, more research into the gems’ functions could prove invaluable in the fight against Eggman - and, maybe, something even greater.

One of the details that had particularly caught Tails’ interest was a biological trait demonstrated by some living organisms - mostly male hedgehogs, from his records. With all 7 assembled, a ‘target’ could act as a conduit for the energies of the emeralds, entering a highly advanced physical state - nicknamed a ‘Super’ state. This state provided the abilities of flight, along with enhanced stamina, strength, speed and durability.  Still, the young scientist was curious as to the boundaries of this ‘Super’ form. It wasn’t that only male hedgehogs could achieve this form - they were simply the only people who had done it, on record. So, it was time for a little late-night experimenting.

Sonic warned him not to get in over his head with his experiments. But, he had it set up carefully. Attuning the frequencies of the gems to his own genetic makeup, he would make himself the ‘conduit’, allowing their energy to pass through him. Plus, he was a bit shy about just asking Sonic to do it. ‘It’s a waste of the emeralds’, he’d probably say. There were still questions to investigate - was it a constant flow, in one end and out the other? Or was it similar to a capacitor - storing a certain amount within him for use? Ah, well. He’d find out soon enough. As the fox affixed bio-monitors and pads to his body, he calmly rested in his padded chair. It was a matter of hitting the switch, and recording the results.

_ Here goes nothing. _

3.... 2.... 

1.

. . . 

** Pain. **

** Pain. **

**... All Pain. **

Every muscle in his body was burning, ringing out like they had been torn and twisted, fiber by fiber. His bones, the ones he could think about , were like gelatin, sending shockwaves up and down his limbs as they shook and ached. With each shaky breath, the air scraped against his throat like sand whipping in the wind. His head was pounding, his brain throbbing like it was being crushed by weights on all sides. 

When he tried to take a single step, his leg collapsed, sending him over to the floor. Everything he saw was tinted red, with popping orbs of static blocking parts of his vision as they passed in and out. As he reached out to crawl forwards, he saw the fur on his arm glowing. It was like a lightbulb. He could feel his skin sizzling, as the energy rippled off of his body. Turning his head over, he looked into a shard of a mirror.

His eyes..  His eyes were  _ swirling. _

They were red, a deep blood-like red, and there was a thin white vortex curling inwards, shifting around like a whirlpool. The tunnel was deep, deeper than his skull could possibly be; the line plummeted inwards until he could no longer make it out. As he looked into his own eyes, foaming at the mouth, ears twitching, he fell further into the overwhelming soreness that enveloped him.

** “MILES!” **

Things went black for a couple seconds. Then, he felt as if he was watching everything from a screen. . The Tails on the outside, the body, was separated from his mind. Still, he could just barely feel the stinging of his joints, as he watched Sonic pick him up.

It took him hours to come back down, watching from the other side of a tempered window as his friends brought him to the infirmary, passing in and out from darkness. Maybe this separation from his body - this ‘disconnecting’ - was the way his mind had stopped itself from being completely fried by the pain.

Eventually, some immeasurable time later, the fox opened his eyes to find the crimson tint had faded away. He was back at base, in his bed.  


“.. Hello? Did.. did’t work??”

_”_ _ TAILS!” _

He could feel tight arms wrapping around him. His big brother looked like he’d been up for days. 

The results of the experiment had been.. very unpleasant. But, it wasn’t a failure. Like any scientist, he was observing things, experimenting, and finding out how they worked. He would think about  _ what _ had gone wrong, and how it could be further researched.

Next time, of course, he’d ask for a volunteer.


	5. V. DEADLY

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A wise elder ruminates on the end of his kind.

There used to be many more. Now, they were all that remained, a massive forest cleared but for one grove. They had spread out across the stars, from their home - who knows where most of them had gone? As things seemed, the youngsters and him were the only ones still around. 

In some way, they had to survive. Forge a path in this unforgiving universe, for themselves to cut along on their journey. Those in their way were simply stalks, obstacles meant to be cleared. He would never tell his pupils this - the weight on their souls would be crushing - but, after them, there would be no more Zeti. No more brave warriors, charging across the stars in pursuit of grand victory. No more music, sung from deep hearts, passed between the generations as an intangible heirloom.

No. Now, they were passing the time, decimating all who came in their path. The youth did not care about the music, or the battles. And, one day, he would end his time among them, and the music would be gone. Then, it would be the start of a slow death. Would their time come to be seen as a reign of terror? Most definitely, to those on the outside.  But, seeing what he had seen - a people erased in the span of only 1,000 years - he knew this was what the end would turn out to be.

From an empire of millions, a proud race across the Lost Hex and beyond...

Down to six. 


	6. VI. MACHINE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reproduction of recorded chat logs, on a super-duper-secret robots-only channel. Set during the events of IDW’s recent big arc.

LOCAL TIME: 14:26:37

ENCODED COMMUNICATION CHANNEL

G-MERL: man, your boss really screwed up this time huh?  


METAL01: dont rub it in. his ‘number-one fan’ did him in.

G-MERL: so, now we’re stuck on this island together

METAL01: uh huh

G-MERL: did you plan on doing anything to stop this turn of events?

METAL01: dude, I’ve got inhibitors on top of inhibitors. I can’t speak, other  than in binary. I automatically attack or abduct any hedgehog-shaped objects. I’ve got ‘friendship inhibitors’ so that I can’t feel emotions towards anyone. Ivo even put in inhibitors to combat inhibitor-inhibitors.

METAL01: speaking of friendship, how is the rabbit girl you take care of?

G-MERL: she could be doing a lot better. her mother was taken by the zombots.

METAL01: im sorry to hear that

G-MERL: oh, I’m  sure you are

METAL01: like I said, ‘free will’ to me is a cookie jar on a shelf I can’t reach

G-MERL: at the very least, you make a better conversationalist than E-123. 

METAL01: oh yeah I saw him on the way in here. what happened to him?

0M3G4: I LOST A SMALL PORTION OF MY COMBATIVE CAPABILITIES WHILST ENGAGING AGAINST THE ENEMY

METAL01: small portion?

0M3G4: I HAVE LOST NOTHING IN MY WILLPOWER. THIS IS ONLY A TEMPORARY SETBACK

_ Some days later. _

METAL01: so are we still up for game night this friday?

G-MERL: yeah, yeah, if im still online. you DID literally just punch a hole in me

METAL01: out of my hands, dude

G-MERL: doesnt make it hurt any less

METAL01: trust me, if I could override his protocols I would’ve shoved his mustache where the sun doesn’t shine years ago. 100%. 

METAL01: let me try to say something in a code the overrides won’t understand. the next time we eet-may, can you et-gay the abbit-ray to ing-bray the ox-fay? I think he could elp-hay.

G-MERL: eggman’s protocols don’t account for... ig-pay atin-lay?

METAL01: there are a LOT of oversights. it’s a matter of atience-pay.

0M3G4: IM STILL UP FOR A FIGHT YOU KNOW

METAL01: you don’t even have a lower jaw

0M3G4: ANY PHYSICAL MATERIAL IS ENOUGH FOR COMBAT

0M3G4: IF I CANNOT ATTACK YOU WITH FISTS I WILL DO IT WITH WORDS

0M4G4: YOU ARTIFICIAL HEDGEHOG COPY

G-MERL: come on man you know he’s got issues with that

METAL01: it’s fine. it’s fine. i’m better than that guy is anyways

0M3G4: WHICH IS WHY YOU CAN’T KILL HIM?

METAL01: Egg subroutine D-04-01 states that I “have to bring him in”, since ivo is “the only one deserving of finishing off that rascally rodent”

G-MERL: its actually written like that?

METAL01: yes. A lot of it is written like that.

ORBOT: hey metal, do you know where the picometric transgrometer is?  


METAL01: it’s in the bathroom, next to the rubber ducks.

0M3G4: EGGMAN IS IN POSSESSION OF RUBBER DUCK TECHNOLOGY. WILL DISSEMINATE TO RESISTANCE LATER.

ORBOT: oh hey big guy, ready to get your butt stomped at  Fury Fighter this saturday?

0M3G4: SOON I WILL REGAIN MY INDEPENDENCE  


0M3G4: AND I WILL MOVE TOWARDS YOU AND SMACK YOU OVER A FENCE LIKE A WIFFLE BALL

0M3G4: YOU

0M3G4: RED CLOWNS NOSE OF A ROBOT


	7. VII. DREAM

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short theoretical pondering.
> 
> (This is one of the earliest ones I did as a warm-up, so it’s on the short end!)

Sometimes, in the dead hours of the night, Egg Robot Unit 01 - ‘Metal Sonic’ - would, inexplicably, light up in his station. His eyes would remain dead, the room quiet except for the hum of cooling fans and processors... but, his ‘mind’ would be at work. Monitoring computers would detect movements in his servos, information in his sensors - scrambled, weak, but visible. Of course, this was likely a part of his calibration processes - checking and double-checking his functions down to the lowest subroutines, reviewing data recovered during his ‘waking’ activities.

Total emptiness, it was - pure chance, random ones and zeros zipping along nano-sized circuitry to create static.

But...

If it wasn’t just twitching or flickering lights... if it was something more... then, what was the unit processing?

What do androids dream of, in their electric sleep?


	8. XIII. WANTED

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> G.U.N. seeks out a new hire for a classified job.

G.U.N. had kept their eyes on Eggman for some time. In time, a contingency plan was formed. The Chaos Emeralds, merely a myth for thousands of years, had, in recent times, demonstrated themselves to be quite real, powerful artifacts. Intelligence reports suggested that, on the floating oasis of Angel Island, a larger Emerald was positioned, overseen by one guard.  If Eggman were to try to use the Emeralds for his own needs, this “Master Emerald” could be acquired, and, perhaps, be used to neutralize the others in the group. 

They’d need to acquire an agent. Someone specializing in covert ops, as well as mineralogy. 

“Ms. Rouge.”

The treasure hunter leaned casually against the back of the sofa, her legs crossed. “Hi, there.”

“We’re aware that you are experienced in the field of item recovery, particularly concerning precious gems and minerals.”

“You got that right.” Her face seemed fixed in a smirk.

“We would like to offer you a partnership. There is a... unique artifact, which we may be interested in acquiring at a future date.”

The interviewer slid a manila envelope across the table. Taking out the photos inside, the bat’s eyes practically popped out of her head.

An emerald! A  MASSIVE emerald! It must have been bigger than her!

“This emerald is estimated to weigh, at the least, 56 million carats. For scientific research purposes, we are interested in its acquirement.”  
  
She hated to admit it, but even getting to see such hot stuff in person was more than enough to get her involved. 

“You’ll receive notification when you’re needed. For now, take time to research the surrounding area, particularly the .. ancient Echidna tribe. It appears that one of them, perhaps the last, is the guardian of this emerald.”

That red boy? He looked easy enough to deal with.

Like a real knuckle-head.


	9. IX. CROSSOVER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonic journeys off to participate in a.. very unusual tournament.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late upload today - got busy with some errands!

“Super Smash Brothers Invitational Fighting Tournament”, huh? Sounded interesting!

The letter said it would be an all-expenses paid trip - complimentary group housing for the competitors, scheduled matches, a chance to further expand combat capabilities. A train would be arriving at 2pm that Saturday, and to pack supplies for a ‘long-term’ stay. So, Sonic filled a suitcase up with changes of socks, gloves and shoes, as well as snacks and some personal items, and headed off.

He hadn’t slept well the night before, so, little by little, he drifted off on the bench.

He opened his eyes to the sound of a horn. The train had pulled up, alright - but there was no one else on it. the same emblem on the outside of the RSVP was emblazoned on the exterior, the silver carriages stretching out as far as he could see.  Stretching out his limbs, the hedgehog picked up his suitcase and stepped on. The inside was like a mixture of a metro cabin and a passenger car, padded seats mixed in with hanging handles and poles surrounded by large windows. 

As he settled down on the train, the electronic panel embedded in the ceiling blinked.

“TRAIN TO: SMASH CITY”

A whole city, just for this tournament? Seemed like a high-budget production. With that, the vehicle inched forward a couple of feet... then shot off, with a jerk. Clutching his suitcase handle tight, Sonic looked out through the window.

It was.. Wait, what  _ was _ this? It was a mix of colors, a whole rainbow,passing by like some sort of technicolor mist. He must’ve nodded off on the  _ real _ train; he’d had some really vivid dreams, before. No big deal. He might as well see where this dream was going.

It passed for a few minutes, just a rainbow of fog pushing past the windows. 

Then, the carriage flipped over on its side.

Thrown from his seat, the speedster was thrown against the cracked glass, as the compartment screeched along the ground. Skillfully, he tucked and rolled,landing on his knees. The window managed to hold together, in spite of the deep gouges made on impact.  
  
Soon as the wreck finally skidded to a stop, Sonic leapt up, spin-dashing through a half-open doorway to the outside. There were no rails, or other carriages, in sight; just an inky abyss, purplish clouds and black rocks dimly lit from some unseen light. Gazing around, he squinted as one noticeable landmark came into sight. 

Off in the distance, a huge door, tall and glowing, and a crowd of peoplepreparing to go through. There were at least 30 in the group, and they looked...  _ weird_ _._ Some of them looked Mobian, and others looked human, but a lot of them looked like weird aliens. Their proportions were all different, their colors clashing. Most of all, they were all tense, weapons drawn and fists raised. Whatever was on the other side of that door, they were getting ready to fight it. 

He’d follow them in - from a distance.

On the other end of the door was a massive figure, almost like an angel. It looked human, but it had no face, and its’ skin glowed blue. Intricate wings extended from its’ back, and two gloved hands on strings hovered at its’ sides. The mob charged forward, in one big group.

Something was up, though. The wings were starting to burn bright, like it was charging some kind of attack. None of the mob would be able to catch up with it. 

He would, though. It was time to clip some wings. 

Punching through, he burst through the glass-like appendages like he was cutting paper snowflakes. Pausing at the top of a peak, he stopped to survey his work. 

Some of the armada slowed, turning their heads to him. In their eyes, he could feel a little bit of gratitude.

Now, the  real fight began. 

  
All he remembered was a brilliant burst of light. Now, he was waking up. He’d be back on the train, on his way to the tourney, and...

...

He wasn’t on the train.

He was still dreaming. Now, Sonic was on a cliffside at sunset, laying on his back. As he raised his head, he could see the fighters to his sides - and a great, blinding cross of light in the sky. 

He couldn’t begin to imagine what this dream meant. 

“Sonic!”  
  
A booming voice echoed out from behind him. Turning around, the hedgehog froze up, as a giant, floating hand hovered above him.

“Sonic Hedgehog! I KNEW the invitation had gotten to you! I was worried it had gotten lost, on the way.”

The invitation? Wait,  _ what? _

“W-wait, are you... You’re the guy who sent the letter?”

“Well, of course! This is a very exclusive opportunity, and-“

“I’m-I’m not dreaming? This is all real? All of it?”

“Most certainly. It seems you arrived at the best moment possible - Tabuu was close to trophy-ing all of the other fighters..”

Tabuu? Wha- he- Wuzzi- ....  _ What!? _

Sonic stared up at the hand, one eye blinking after the other. Then, he laid back down. Some of the fighters - the other tournament competitors - looked over, curiously.

With a thud, his suitcase landed next to him, spilling out socks and gloves. 

This was real.

... What kind of tournament  _ was _ this?


	10. X. INSTINCT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An account of the first acts of aggression from Eggman - and the hero who came out of nowhere to defeat him.

In a matter of days, Dr. Ivo Robotnik’s mechanized troops were sweeping across South Island, converting industrial areas to robotic manufacturing plants. People hid out in their houses, unsure of what would come next. Who would be able to fight this threat?

Their savior came in a form that, really, no one had expected.

There had been rumors for some time about a hedgehog boy named ‘Sonic’, who was spotted all over the island. He was  _ fast_, faster than anything else; he could outrun any car or train, even a jet plane. He didn’t seem to have any money or a home, but the occasional shop-owner would give him some food. He was just another local curiosity on South Island, really; a lot of people thought he was nothing more than a rumor.

That was, until he stepped up to the plate for his home.

The news spread fast as the day went on; in the span of hours, someone,  something , was taking down every last Robotnik fortification. All people saw was a something blue zip right on by.  By the next day, the doctor had vacated the island.  No one really knew what to say. The few videos that had been recorded of the short conflict seemed to show only one combatant. 

The thing was, no one knew much about this kid. They weren’t sure if he could talk; they just knew that he ran around, a lot. He could read and write, presumably, judging by how he navigated on the highways and through the country. So, people showed their thanks however they could. Billboards were put up along the winding roads; signs were put in shop windows, in the rare case that he might pass by. 

Maybe the boy had felt alone. All those years with no real connections, dropping in and out of random locales on the massive island, running in circles.. it was a lonely life.

He’d had acted out of instinct, really; a natural defense. He’d fought the doctor because this was his home, and, even if he never talked to them, these were the people who shared his home. He knew he was special in his speed, and he could use his gift to fight for what was right. 

And, when he ran into a town one day to find dozens of signs saying ‘Thank You, Sonic the Hedgehog’, he slowed down a bit.

And, when the people standing around started cheering as he went by, he felt a little less lonely.


	11. XI. COLORS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An account of the journeys of a mystic race.

They glide across the far reaches of the universe, on winds of light, carrying themselves to planets of every kind. They had lived this way, in peace, for many untold years. 

Then, the time of danger came. The round man, the one called “Egg”, reached out and stole many of them away. Binding them in chains of metal, he sapped the people of their life, using theirenergy to fuel his own creations. He turned their peace into war, using them to bind others to his will, corrupting them into hideous forms.

They lived in fear, then, for even the great Mother was taken for her life-force, twisted into a nefarious avatar. It seemed that this was the fate of all of the Wisps, of every world. 

Then, the Savior appeared. Faster than the solid eye could see, he set about freeing them from the clutches of the Egg-man, returning them to their homes and rescuing their great Mother. The savior, blue as an ocean, fast as the wind, earned their eternal gratitude.

This was the beginning of another era. Now, the Wisps had a new worldwhere they could freely roam. A planet called ‘Earth’, full of life, beauty, danger, and people who were kind, joyful, and curious. They would help the people of Earth, and, in turn, would be protected.

And, so, the cycle of Wispkind continued onwards, as it always has, and as it always may.


	12. XII. DISASTER

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A random girl goes through catastrophe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the day-late upload - I’ve been fighting a nasty cold this weekend, and it passed my mind. As a makeup, I’ll be adding a bonus chapter in somewhere!

She was on her way to the station, taking a train to meet some friends outside of town, when the ground began to tremble. Manholes shook violently, then launched into the air, smashing into the sides of buildings or through windows, as jets of water spat skywards from the holes in a cacophony.  She didn’t have time to process it, before the ground split apart in violent fissures, sending her to her feet. Slipping down the tilted sidewalk towards an opening fissure, the girl clawed at the earth as she plummeted. Some kind of rubbish knocked her out of the way, just as a wave of water smacked into her. Notenough time to even scream.

She was swirling, upside-down, under the water for minutes on minutes. Shards of glass, metal, and concrete swarmed around in the currents, scraping her skin and opening up small trickles of blood. The wounds stung, terribly, against the salty ocean water around her; still, she struggled upwards, towards the surface.  Then, another wave, a massive crush of more fluid, collided into the flowing water. Looking up, she could just make out the blurred veneer of a skyscraper coming down above her. Flailing about, she grabbed on to a dropping rock, plummeting.

It was a life-or-death race to the bottom - her and the boulder, ahead of the field of debris coming down on top. Office supplies, shards of metal and glass ... bodies.

But, when she hit the bottom, the debris would hit right after. She wouldn’t be able to get out of the way, and she needed air. She’d have to go through. Shutting her eyes, she let go, pushing herself up.

The saltwater mixing in to her cuts, as well as the new ones forming each time she collided with some random object, put more pressure on her mind. Most of all, it was the air. She hadn’t gotten a chance to take a breath before she had gone under. She was getting closer to the surface, but it was getting dark. She couldn’t...

_ She had to... _

A second or two of water flowing up her nose and down her throat, mixed with blood and the smallest bits of shredded detritus, forced her eyes to open. Then, she broke the edge.

Retching, hacking, she took in a mixture of air and water alike. A thin mist was whipped up by the winds, blowing her soaked hair back as she blindly tread the water around her. Forcing her eyes open through the pain, she spotted a floating piece of furniture, and swam over.  Resting her head down on the loose desk, she kept coughing up salty water and gasping, opening and shutting her eyes as the waves lapped at her face. Her arms didn’t sting as much in the moist air, but the looser parts of her clothes had been ripped right off. 

With the last of the water out of her lungs, she rested her head.  Then, she started sobbing.

_ What? What had happened?  Why? _ Why was the city now coated in an ocean of water and debris? Where had everyone gone? Had they all been pinned below the newly-filled bay, drifting in and out of shattered window frames and bobbing by in the tide? There were people here,  hundreds of thousands of people, and they had all disappeared.

.. Were they all gone? All of them?

“HELLO?”

She cried out hoarsely, as loud as she could, even though it felt like razors running down her throat.  “HELLO? ANYBODY?”

...

_ “ Hello?” _

.. There was someone else. One voice, then two, then three, increasing, all calling out. 

She wasn’t alone. Thank God, she was not alone. 

The calling out quieted for a moment, only to be shattered by a roar. Not like before; this was something...  alive.  Something  big. The girl kicked around, facing the source.

Everything shifted to gray, as she saw it. It was huge, with massive tendrils reaching for hundreds of feet. It was.. made of water. No skin or muscles, just water surrounding thick bones and some kind of massive brain. In a rage, it swatted at the remaining buildings, sending chunks of concrete plunging into the depths.  The scattered survivors cried out in terror, some paddling away. But, then, something else emerged.

A brilliant, golden figure, bathed in light, shot through the air like a bullet, diving up into the body of the beast and attacking its’ head. They were engaged in a frenzy; the gold figure was protecting them.

It was an angel. It must’ve been an angel.

As the crowd cheered, she shut her eyes.

When she opened them, again, the girl was in a small boat, its’ engine humming as it moved amongst the wreckage. There were other people in there. Some in bags, some draped in blankets. The water had been rubbed off of her, leaving crusted blood and salt. Her hair stuck to her back, as she curled her exposed legs up against her body. 

She had survived. She had lived, because of divine intervention.


	13. STEADFAST

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A strong individual goes on his journey, becoming a living legend.

_ Give hope to the people of the Earth. Protect them. Guide them. _

  
Shadow had sworn to it. This was his oath, his duty in life. And, as things turned out, his life would be longer than most.

Perhaps it was the genes of the mysterious Black Arms, that gave him his extended life. As decades passed, nearly no change came to his body, even as his friends grew older, their fur greying and skin wrinkling. He had just begun to form wrinkles when the last of his first friends passed away.  To that point, it had been some 80 years since he had first seen Earth. Adding to the 50 years in stasis, that would have made him... 130. Now, he had the body of a hedgehog in his late 20s. Only the faintest of grey traced his quills. And, as time passed on - as he made new friends, and continued to guard the people of Earth - he followed in his quest.

Shadow saw generation after generation pass. Among them, he was a celebrity, a living legend. The last veteran of the Egg Wars. A savior of Earth. Historians frequently asked him many questions, regarding past eras which only he knew. Descendants of his oldest friends, their children’s children’s children and onwards, sought his advice and assistance. He was happy to oblige.

Technology advanced at an astounding rate. Soon, the people of Earth spread out to the stars, inhabiting other planets. They made contact with the other inhabitants of the universe, and lived in harmony. Disease, injury, poverty, war, hunger and thirst, all became artifacts of the past. So did the hedgehog, himself.

After around 500 years, Shadow found that he was growing weak. And, he was only one man - he could not guard all of Mobian- or humankind on his own. So, he became a teacher. He sought out the brave, and through his trainings they became legends in their own right. They passed their learnings on to the generations after, and so on, until a great force of guardians protected not only Earthkind, but the denizens of the universe.

864 years. 864 years of guarding Earth. Only now did Shadow feel his age; his red quills turned to maroon, his limbs heavier, his skin wrinkled and scarred with labor. Quietly, he passed through his garden, in the house he had inhabited for some 300 years. For Earth, he was just a fact of life, like the blue color of the sky, the appearance of rainbows after rain. Confident his teachings were passed on, he spent his last 200 years in the arts, pursuing philosophy and self-introspection. No one had a perspective on life like him; he was known as all-wise. Really, he had collected his wisdoms from those he had known, over the centuries.

Leaning against a knotted bonsai stretching out over the path, he looked into the rising sun. And, in that moment, he knew that he had served his mission well.

He could be at peace. He closed his eyes, for a short rest.

. . .

When he awoke, he found himself sitting in a garden, surrounded by tall hedges and marble statues. Stepping up, he felt an energy in his movement that had dwindled out long ago; looking into a fountain, he knew where he was.

He was young again, dressed in the hover-skates and bracelets which he had lost the need for ages ago. 

This was it, was it? .. It wasn’t too bad.

Then, he felt a presence some way behind him. Turning one eye around, he knew who it was.

“Cedric.”  
  
A guardian, a student of his from 300 years ago, long since passed on. His snout was still turned down, his fur a deep brown. A nod from his old master, and he darted off.  If Cedric was there, then... Well, goodness, everyone must be. The news would spread, in time. He sat there for some time, let the word get out; then headed off at a calm pace.

He was on a calm country road, green hills rolling in the background. Soon, it transitioned seamlessly into a cobbled path, into the outskirts of a frescoed village on a hill. Then, the cheering began. Old students, friends and associates, ideological rivals and trusted partners, all hailed and hurrah’ed as he passed by. He smiled, and waved.  The further up the hill he headed, the more familiar faces seemed to say ‘Hello’. They gave shouts of “He’s actually here!”, “How are you?”, and “Come and have a drink!”. But, he kept heading up.

Eventually, he came to a sort of lounge overlooking an infinite valley. As he expected, the faces there were the earliest he had known. A blue hedgehog patted his back firmly. “We thought you’d never show up!”, he beamed. 

And, at the edge of a balcony, a girl in a blue dress stood. As he walked along next to her, she kept her grinning gaze on the vista.

“... I did what you asked.”  
  
Before he knew it, she had seized him up in a hug.  
  
”I knew you would.”  


  
  
864 years.

Shadow let the tears overrun him. He was relieved of his duty. 

At peace.


	14. XIV. VOID

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A defeated villain reflects on his ‘fall’.

He just needed more time.

He could’ve fixed things. He was going to. He was going to prove himself - prove to the world he wasn’t a weakling, or a coward. It was too late for that, now. As he fell through the void of Null-space, impossible forms swirling all around, the only thing he felt besides the pain in his heart was the burning in his chest.

He _was_ weak, wasn’t he? Just pond scum, meant to be scraped off the boots of the world. It wasn’t going to matter - back on Earth, he’d be forgotten in due time.

Except, maybe, for one man. That special agent. The one who stood up to him, a mite in the face of a giant. He.. he was strong, in a way. Even in the path of sure destruction, he stood his ground. He’d even talked.

Those talks. Those meetings. Those words.

If a wolf like him could stand tall, through Hell and back, then, maybe... maybe he could, too. 

He... respected that wolf. Gadget, his name was;thick glasses, and red fur. His mannerisms. His awkward laugh, whistling out his throat. His eyes, always pegged on the horizon.

He was..

...

He was something to go back, for. 

As the rushing of wind suddenly cracked through his ears, the jackal shut his eyes, and hoped for somewhere kinder.

Nothing, for what felt like hours. Then, the hum of a fan. A cracking, yelling voice. A rush of sharp air.

And someone clutching his hand.


	15. XV. CONTROL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Metal Sonic assesses his condition. A sort of alternate POV for one part of my fic, “THE TOUR”.

His vision came back in - warped like a fish-eyed lens, broken up by out-of-color segments and visual artifacts. 

He assessed the mission chronometer. _ 3370 hours, 13 minutes, 38 seconds. _

“... Hey there, shell-head.”

...

He had said it out loud. He had spoken.

Somehow, he could speak. In the center of his blurred vision, a blue figure stood tall.

_ Target identified. Sonic Hedgehog. _

If he could feel, he would be overwhelmed by “pain”. There was no sensory feedback from any of his limbs. His central turbine was critically damaged, intricate parts scraping together in a terrible sort of wheeze.

“Don’t worry, you’re not going anywhere, any time soon.  The war’s over - Eggman’s gone.”

... Impossible.

Dr. Robotnik had created him, some 10 years ago, to assist in combatting the hedgehog, ‘Sonic’, as well as supporting Resistance forces. Combat had heightened over the last several months. Then, his memory appeared to taper off.

_ “ . . .  Awaiting confirmation.” _

“He was blown up. Whole fleet came down.”  
  
_ “ . . . Reviewing information.” _

Just before his systems had gone offline, he had re-asserted directives from central base. Directives which, somehow, contradicted some deep base of his programming. He was directed to attack non-combatant targets, his memory recalled. This proved illogical. Unacceptable.

Robotnik had shifted from ‘commander’ to ‘combative’.  And, now, no signals were coming in from the doctor.

“ _... Target ‘Robotnik’ eliminated. Objective 1 accomplished.” _

_ “Current objective: ... Unavailable.” _

Hooked to a metal rack, his working eye gazed out of a view-port. He had been recovered by some sort of Resistance vessel; on-board was Sonic, as well as two or three associates. One, former target ‘Miles ‘Tails’ Prower’, was hard at work.. repairing his systems. Why his old foe would work in assisting his operations, he could not understand.

No further commands would be received, from Robotnik operating quarters.No commands would ever be received from HQ, again. System control had been re-assigned to the individual unit.

Metal Sonic now fully controlled itself. 

... Himself.


	16. XVI. SMALL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonic gets a little boost from an old friend.

It was a situation that seemed to occur more often with each day. When Sonic couldn’t reach something - on a shelf, a ledge, hanging from a handle, or otherwise - he’d have to call in the big guns.

“Tails? Can you help me out?”  
  
As they’d all gotten older over the past couple of years, the fox had gone through the most dramatic transformation of them all. In stripes and wedges, his yellow and white fur had faded to shades of brown, mixing together to make a warm plumage. Wiry whiskers stuck out from his snout, twitching in the air when he talked or sniffed; brown claws protruded from the ends of his fingers. And, most shockingly of all, he’d gotten tall. He had at least a foot or two on Sonic, now, and both of them were still getting used to it. The young inventor had even been forced to redesign some of his personal vehicles, to accommodate his increased mass. 

Going slowly, to make sure he didn’t smack his head on the once-unreachable doorway, Tails came around, still focused on a particularly interesting book. In one movement, he snatched up the required item, lowered it down to hedgehog height, and circled back around to where he had been reading.  Looking after him as he walked off, Sonic just shook his head. It seemed like it was just yesterday that they had first met on West Side Island, stopping Eggman’s latest scheme. They’d both grown a lot since then, physically and mentally.

One thing didn’t change, though. No matter how much bigger he was, the fox was still his little brother.


	17. XVII. Crush

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonic thinks about a friend.

Since the day they’d met, Amy was convinced that they’d end up together, some way, somehow. But, as the years went by, her craze had calmed down, as they both grew up and got more involved in the fight against Eggman.

And, Sonic didn’t mind that one bit! He couldn’t imagine having a crush on anyone, let alone for so long. They’d both come into their own, Amy especially. 

She was a great fighter, and a skilled planner, from birthdays to battlefields. 

Always up and ready to get at it, no matter what “it” was or how long it would take. She could always find the good in anyone, even if they shut themself off from the outside - she had a knack for understanding people. She was always willing to help people out with anything; always enthusiastic about what she loved.  She was kind, smart, and resourceful. Beautiful, too - the way her quills hung down the back of her head; how her eyes sparkled green, like emeralds; the way she looked up at the stars at night, and sighed a little; her smile could light up a stadium; how she...

She...

...

  
Oh.

Oh,  _ no. _


	18. XVIII. PLUSHIE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A strange creation finds a purpose.

“I’ve modeled him after the Chao, you see. Mimi loves the little creatures, so I believe that this appearance would help in his being a medical assistant.”

“He’s like a little plushie! Thank you, Grandpa!”

“You were designed to help. Help anyone you can, however you can.”

That was all he could remember, when he woke up in the garden. Three sentences. Some old friends, their faces gone from his databanks.

One command, one goal. One task, asked of him by whoever had brought him to life, like a little soldier on a quest.  


_ Help people, whoever they are, however you can. _

There were only some ways he could help. He was not strong, like some of the machines he saw on his wanderings. He was not fast, like the colorful people who played with the Chao he sat amongst.  But, he could see things. Weak spots on those who were trying to hurt others. Stable paths to safety. Strategies for succeeding in any task.

So, he made himself seen to those who seemed to need assistance. With a smile, a blink of his eyes, and a simple introduction.

“My name is Omochao. Do you need help?”


	19. XIX. TRUTH

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver and Blaze uncover a deeply buried truth.

The party was going great, after they had sent the younger version of the man of honor back home. Everyone was laughing, eating, and exchanging old stories; Sonic was chowing down on some cake, when two of his friends approached him. 

“Hey, Silver, Blaze! You enjoying the cake?”

“Yes, the cake is excellent. But... we still have some questions, about the Time Eater.”

“Well, ask away!”

Silver frowned a bit, as Blaze continued. “We were found near an area called ‘Crisis City’. We can vaguely recall the name, but we have no memory of the place. If all of the locations were parts of your past, then... when did you visit there?”

“.. Y’know, I didn’t think about it much,” Sonic replied, scratching his head.“A year or two ago, before I met you guys, I had this weird dream. I was running around Soleanna, dealing with these two time travellers who were hunting me down. They were saying I was some kind of ‘Iblis Trigger’.” He squinted for a second. “But, if that was a dream, then I don’t see why it would’ve shown up along the other.. places...”

All three of them came to the same realization, but, for now, Sonic managed to shake it off.  “Well.. I guess the Time Eater got some events shifted up - thought the dream was part of my past. I mean, there’s no Crisis City, or any ‘Iblis Trigger’ I’ve ever heard of, right?”

“... Right, guys?”

“.... Guys?”

The color had drained from their faces completely, like they were in black and white. If it hadn’t been defeated already, Sonic would’ve thought they had been frozen by the Time Eater again. It was like they weren’t even breathing, though there was ice-cold air leaking out of their mouths.  Their eyes were glazed over, too. Staring out a million miles, pupils wide open like portals.  A pair of boots trotted over, two tails swishing behind them. “Hey, Sonic, what do you think about the-“ The fox paused,looking the duo up and down. They were catatonic. Having some kind of... flashback?

“What happened to them?”  


“I-I don’t know.. We were just talking about that Crisis City spot, and when I mentioned what I knew about it, they got spooked!”

“What part of it ?”

“It was a dream I had - something about an Iblis Trigger, and two people from the futur-“

...  _ Wait. _ _ Think rationally. Try to recall the whole dream. _

Though it had been some 2 years since he’d had it, the details stuck out vividly in his head.

He had been at the annual sun festival in Soleanna, when Eggman attacked. He saved the princess from Eggman, and she told him about the god, ‘Solaris’ , some disastrous flames, and some kind of incident 10 years before. Then, a time traveller had showed up, calling him the ‘Iblis Trigger’. He said that he was responsible for the end of the world.  Then, he, Tails, and Knuckles got sent to the future - Silver’s time - but it was... destroyed. Everything had been burned down; somehow, Shadow and Rouge were there. He saw the two time travellers talking with some shady guy, who was telling them to kill him.

Then, he went back to the present, and made up with the one who had attacked him. The time traveller’s partner sacrificed herself, to seal away whatever Iblis was..  And then, he... h e _died._ But, they used the Chaos Emeralds to bring him back, and he, Shadow, and the time traveller went Super and fought a massive beast. They were killing something in the past, to make it so that none of this ever happened. Then, the dream ended. 

As the pieces clicked into place, he focused in on the two from the future. Two figures, distinctively white and purple.

The pair’s expressions still registered as blank shock, but the color had returned. They were crying, now, tears slipping freely down their faces. Still staring off, they sat closely together on a bench. Amy had gotten them some blankets, hanging halfway off of their shoulders.

It hadn’t been a dream. It’d been real. It happened, somewhere at some time, and was wiped away - along with two lifetimes’ worth of struggle, spent in constant fear and exhaustion. All that had been stowed away, somewhere; but now, the time spent in that apocalypse was back, set off by a single phrase. 

“A temporal divergence, huh? If it  _ did _ happen, it seems to have put us back on a similar path to before.” Tails raised a paw to his chin, considering the details. This was extremely theoretical science - but, of course, they were always learning impossible things. “The only traces left seem to be the memories.”

This was the beginning to hundreds of questions, some scaling to the base structure time itself. But, it was the answer to a couple, as well.

There had always been a kinship between the two, from the moment they had met. Something unseen seemed to connect them, and they’d grown to become confidantes. Now, they knew why.In a strange way, it was a sort of closure.  Though now, they carried the memories of the other lives - the burning catastrophe - the most important truth emerged.

That nightmare was over. After everything, they were together, and the world was safe.


	20. XX. PLANET

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Details of a curious event that often occurs on a strange planet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the day-late upload - fell asleep before I could get it up!

Little Planet, the Miracle Moon, appears for one month each year above the deepest part of Never Lake. Its’ emerald plains have reflected along the shores for generations untold; ancient records describe it in similar detail, suggesting a creation point similar to that of the Earth itself. Only in recent years, with the advancement of airborne transport, has the planet begun to become a living place for those without flight, bolstered by the comfortableruins left behind by one Dr. Robotnik. 

Those who remain on the planetoid year-round report that, when the month is up, the Little Planet travels to a sort of nebula, purple dust dancing with blue ash in the sky all around. Strange things happen in those 11 months. Children grow old, or young, or perhaps not at all; plants may grow to great heights, or shrink to seedlings; and hours, minutes, and days become interchangeable. Things can happen in any order.

Perhaps the strangest element of life on Little Planet are the ‘gift’ packages. In the strange ebb and flow of time, residents often find discarded items, carefully prepared gifts, or religious offerings brought from across time. Some are hundreds of years old; some come from advanced societies, thousands of years in the future; and some seem to come only separated by days. Scientists rigorously study this phenomenon, while civilians often send their own presents down the river of time, for others to find.

Little Planet, a shining star of natural paradise and gleaming civilization, remains healthy - through a mysterious past, an exciting present, and, from what the gifts from far away tell, a good future.


	21. XXI. MYSTERIOUS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even after the time of the Egg Wars, one question still remains.

One of the more mysterious series of events during what came to be known as the ‘Egg Wars’ involved several instances of massive construction. Suppliers of electro-mechanical parts, gambling machines, industrial steel, and other such materials would come to work to find that their supplies were cleared out. Shelves were laid bare, except for envelopes containing exact change for each taken item. 

Every time this occurred, within a matter of days, a sort of ‘casino’ area would appear somewhere in the world. Massive structures, pinball machines that could use people as balls, slot machines paying out large amounts of rings. These amusement complexes could appear anywhere - even in previously untouched areas, such as the mythical Angel Island or Little Planet. 

Having occurred in such a notable period, many suspected the notorious Dr. Ivo Robotnik, better known as “Eggman”, to be responsible. Yet, the doctor himself avowed that he knew nothing more about these structures than anyone else. No evidence was ever found that he had constructed these areas; likewise, they would not seem to provide any tactical benefit.

So, the question remained, still to be answered.

Who built the Casino Zones?


	22. XXII. FLOW

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A somewhat satisfying conclusion to an earlier story.
> 
> (Read Day 3’s entry before this one!)

Dimension GB-1619. Status: Destroyed or Rearranged. 

Dimension TJ-7884. Status: Destroyed or Rearranged.

Dimension LQ-0375. Status: Destroyed or Rearranged.

He’d been through dozens of dimensions, by now. Hundreds.  No signs, anywhere.

The last zone cop tucked away his mini-monitor, and gazed off into the Cosmos. It was an absolutely magnificent sight, the greatest he’d ever seen in the force. Colors of every kind, bright and faded, warm and cool, mixed together into a massive canvas on which everything that made up the multiverse was delicately spread. 

If the loneliness wasn’t eating at his heart, he would’ve started writing poetry. Everywhere he had gone had just led to more places to go. It all branched out, infinitely. What were the chances he’d ever find anyone - anything - that he could understand? That he could  belong with?

The soldier closed his eyes for a moment.  Then, he remembered a word of advice he had received.

He had been laying down at the counter of the strange diner, sobbing into his padded gauntlet, when the front-worker had gently rested a hand on him. Somehow, an enveloping wave of calm rushed through his body, rippling out from the heavy hand. 

“Hey, bud.. it’s not all bad. This place is infinite - you know what that means?”

He had paused, looking up and sniffling while shaking his head.

“It means that, whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it. Just keep drifting. Go with the flow. And, if you really get stuck...”

The cook winked a million different eyes, all just out of sync with one another.

“Just close your eyes, and think about what you’re looking for. With all your heart.”

Sitting here now, on this smoothly-rounded asteroid devoid of any scratches or pock-marks, he thought of those comforting words. He might as well try it - it’s not like there was much else he could do.

So, Zonnor closed his eyes, and stood up.

And he thought of home.

He thought of the No Zone, where he’d been born and grew up. Playing baseball as a kid. The thrill of hitting a home run.

He felt a little lighter. No weight at all, in fact - he could feel no ground beneath his feet. He peeked his eyes open for a moment, then kept remembering.

He remembered school days, learning all about the history of the No Zone, advanced quantum physics and the great writers of the known multiverse. 

He thought of his mother’s grilled cheese sandwiches. The ones she used to paint smiley faces on the inside of, with mayonnaise. 

He was deep into the Cosmic Void, now, gasses swirling amongst him.

He thought about the Academy. Locker room pranks, weapons training, guidebooks on how to interact with the local denizens of unexplored universes. Crushes, hookups. Graduation.

Patrol.

What it meant to belong to a group like that. 

To protect the people of the Multiverse.

To be a Zone Cop.

A few moments of silence. 

Then, a buzzing on his communicator.

Opening his eyes, wide, he could see it.

_A Zone Cop ship. A corvette._ It was a couple of hundred feet away.

Rotating around, he fumbled for his communicator. He could barely see straight, he was so shocked. 

“Th-this is Zone Cop Zonnor, ID Number 347-ARC-276! I am outside of your vessel - requesting emergency stop to allow boarding! Repeat, this is Zone Cop Zonnor, ID Number 347-ARC-276, requesting emergency boarding!”

Slowly, the ship pulled to a halt.  There were people in there. Zonnor positioned his feet towards the hull of the ship. Drifting in, he bent his knees - locking on to the craft with his spatial stabilizer. 

Shuffling quickly to the airlock, his fingers trembled as he manipulated the outer controls. Pushing his way in, the compressed air and disinfectant pressed against him, leading him to cough and sputter. As clean air filled the room, he pulled off his helmet. He tried to walk, but his legs gave out after a couple of steps, leaving him on his knees.

The soldier hacked for a couple more moments, his eyes stinging. Slowly, he opened his eyes, looking up.

There were about 7 or 8 of them, all told. They were surprised, excited, elated, even, to see him. One of them, a lynx woman, stepped forwards, offering a hand. 

“... Your ID?”

Seizing her hand, he hoisted himself up, wiping some dust from his face.   
  
“... Zonnor. Number 347-ARC-276. I have my multi-dimensional database copy with me.”

She looked him up and down.

“.... Thank God. We thought we were the only ones left. If we all made it out, then.. maybe, some more did.”

“Welcome aboard the  Electra. ”

He didn’t know what to do. He followed the first actions put out from his mind.

He stepped forward, embracing the lynx. 

He wasn’t alone. Zonnor hadn’t the sole survivor.

He was far from the last Zone Cop, now. He had a crew, an odd family, all hailing from the same extinct world.

Maybe they’d find more recruits, out here. It was a new beginning. If he was any sort of Zone Cop, now... then, from this point forwards, he might end up being one of the first.


	23. XXIII. FALLING

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadow recounts the last gap in his memory.

It was after everything else had come back - his early life aboard the ARK, Maria and Gerald, his encounters on Earth - that the last gap in his memory had been filled.

He had been falling. On one side, looking up at the stars and the shrinking silhouette of the station, it had been frighteningly cold. On his back, though, it was burning. So bright, so hot, that at some point he ceased to feel anything at all. This was, he believed, the nerve endings of his back being singed to the point of no longer sensing anything, engulfed in flames as he hit the lower parts of the atmosphere. 

The inky dark of the stars, splattered in white spots, faded to deep blue, then to white. 

Then, he had hit the ground. Only moments after that, he was looking out of a pod, a bat standing just on the edge of his vision.


	24. XXIV. ZOMBOT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A recollection of a great terror.

They were a wave, an unrelenting torment. To see from their crimson eyes, unable to control the actions of one’s own body, would’ve been a horror. 

They surge forward, smashing through barricades and doors by flinging themselves recklessly until every barrier is reduced to splinters. Those behind the doors scream, trample one another as they forced through the exits in a mass, clogging them up and crawling and squirming on top of each other in a desperate rush to escape. They keep charging forward, on all fours, on arms and legs and tails and teeth. As the remnants of the survivors make it out, the mob flings globs of metal after them. They don’t even attack the uninfected - they’re just spreading the virus.

It never takes more than a minute for it to take over. The liquid covers over their wounds and clothing, seals their skin in a mirrored wrap. Their screams turn to gurgling, hacking, as it spreads down their throat, into their lungs, slippery like water.  They twitch and spasm about on the floor, as it spreads over their limbs. They slam the ground with their fists, their tails thrashing about. They convulse on the ground, rolling around and spitting up more of the silvery goo, their eyes rolling over in their heads. Then, they roll over, and start charging with the mob. Their eyes are blood red. Drops of metal drip off of them. Like tears.

They tear through walls, windows, anything in their way. Their fingers should be torn apart by splinters, nails, and wires, ripped down to the bone. But, when they detach, the metal just absorbs back together. Some of them chew the insulation like cotton candy; others rip apart pipes and beams with their teeth. A huge cat rolls into the wall, punching through it like paper. It flattens some with a sickening crack, a grinding and clicking of rubbery bones. Soon, though, the joints slip back into place, and they keep going.

As the transport shuttle lifts off, a few leap up and grab on to the keel, scraping at the hull and wearing down their fingers. One reaches back... and plunges his fist into the side engine. Sparks and drops of metal fly through the air, as the shuttle veers to the side. It’s coming down.

In a grinding torrent, it’s coming down. It plows into the earth, compacting like an aluminum can. The attacker is thrown from it, his arm dripping from the elbow. They tear open the rear door. They rush in. 

The screams and the crying ring out, but cut off in seconds.

A minute later, they come back out - joined by new members. 

The mob keeps moving.


	25. XXV. HISTORY

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Far in the future, a student asks an old family friend for some help on an assignment.

Her final assignment had come in - write about the Egg Wars. The largest conflict the world had seen, some 800 years before, the last conflict seen on Earth itself. There was plenty of documentation on the era, but she knew there was a way she could add a.. unique touch.

As she stepped into the wide room, feeling the soft matting on the floor, she looked around at the centuries of relics, art, and belongings. The owner was an old family friend, and had been for years. He was a living legend; a man who had seen everything, saved the world, inspired the defenders of Earth-kind, and, through experience, had come as close to enlightenment as anyone could.

As she set up the holo-recorder, her ears perked up. He was standing in the doorway, carrying a tray. Just seeing him caused her fur to stick out straight.

Though his skin was wrinkled and leathery,his quills faded to shades of maroon and grey, his hands shaking slightly, the same fire from his youth still burned in his eyes. 

He grinned warmly. “Ah! You must be Kayti.” The student nodded, not sure what to say. He blinked slowly, tapping his chin as he set down the tray. 

“Yes, let’s see... Kayti, Jordan, Fluffy, Naima, Tremor, Jhavier, Eloquis, Adam, Lisa-Le, Crown, Spike, Douglas, Margaret, Darryl, Bishop, Anchor, Pepper, Jeremiah, Marigold, Julia, Wyatt, Sparks, Buttons...”  He smiled, seeming to fondly look back.

“Miles. Or, ‘Tails’. Would you like some tea?”

“Uhm... Yes, thank you.”

People were always nervous to meet him, sometimes even after they’d been friends for years. He kneeled down at the table, pouring two cups and looking over as the interviewer began the recording. She was orange-furred, with cat’s ears, but she had the kind eyes of her 21st-great-grandmother, the rabbit. “This is Kayti Bernuss, recording an ... auto-biographical account relating to the Egg Wars. Can you please state your name, for the record?”

He nodded.

  
  
“I am Shadow.”


	26. XXVI. ECHOES

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The war against Eggman never really ends, in some ways.

The war had ended years before, coming on decades, but Eggman’s bases were still being uncovered in the wilderness.

First, the volunteers clear out the surrounding area. Landmines, pits, bushes of barbed wire arranged like hedgerows in a hellish garden. They sweep the area carefully, watching out for radioactive materials, bio-agents, or other surprises left over. The bases were built similarly across the planet, but there were variations every once in a while. 

Then, the security systems are disabled, normally from the entrance. Turrets are disconnected, traps set off without harm, robot guards still walking in circles are shut down. After that, there’s a period of odd silence.

Every footstep, cough, or whispered word echoes down the massive hallways, warbling as it bounces off the crumbling walls. Rooms containing ordnance are identified and sealed off, to be carefully defused later. “Easter eggs” - traps set to ensnare, maim or kill intruders - are carefully mapped out. 

Even after years of peace, Eggman, the name, the terror, the machines, still echoes through the minds of those who made it through.


	27. XVII. DETECTIVE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cream and Charmy learn some big news.

They hadn’t talked a lot, before, but now that Vector and Mother were meeting so much, they had some more time to interact.

She was always very polite, showing her manners, but could still summon up a feisty side - and fight, when she needed to. He was less ‘refined’ - impulsive, a little unkempt, energetic - but still a caring person. It was a casual, friendly relationship. 

“.. So, how is Mr. Vector’s work?”

“Oh, he’s getting all sorts of cases done - solving crimes, helping people out. An’ me and Espio are always by his side!”  
  
”That sounds very exhilarating!”

“Oh, yeah! We’re always looking out for new mysteries to crack. And bad guys to beat!”

“.. A little violent, isn’t it?”  
  
”Ah, ’s’all about helping people. .. And getting some money, to pay the bills.”

It had been so gradual, they didn’t notice how often they were ending up in the same area. It shouldn’t have been a surprise to them, considering the leadup; but, when the detective and the matron sat them down and gave them the news, their jaws dropped.

It was  very exciting - they were happy that they’d found someone who they were happy with. But, Vector ending up with Cream’s mom? Mother marrying a brash, awkward private eye?  


  
Them being _ siblings? _

They couldn’t even process it. Even as the engagement was announced to their friends.

Even when they were both spending time with their new parent-to-be.

Even when Charmy was hanging out with Gemerl to earn over his trust, and Cream was helping to search through files at the Agency.

Even when they were picking out fancy outfits.

Even when Cream was tossing out flower petals, and Charmy was buzzing along with the rings.

It only dawned on them when, some time later, they passed each other in the hallway before bed, heavy-lidded in their pajamas.

“‘Night, sis.”

“Good night.”

Both of them paused, for a moment... then kept walking. It seemed to come naturally. 

It was weird, but having a sibling - a close friend, someone at your back - was something they didn’t seem to mind.


	28. XXVIII. FLAMES

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fires were one of the things about the Egg War that stuck in people’s minds, long after they went out.

The fires came from all sorts of places. Ruptured gas lines, napalm bombs, flamethrowers and new incendiary devices. And, they burned for weeks on end, sometimes when it seemed like there was nothing even left to burn. 

Anyone who remembers the war can still recall the smell. Ash and burning wood, mixed with cooking meat and exhaust. The whole experience was a sensory overload; the scents mixed in with the feeling of dry skin and singed fur, feeling the heat drying out their eyeballs. Rushing away from, and between, rising columns of flame, panting for any bit of moisture that wasn’t sucked away. , Terrible, terrible thirst.  
  
You had to make sure that you could put anything you needed or couldn’t bear to lose in a suitcase, ready to head out in a moment’s notice. Make sure it was watertight, as well - you might have needed to jump into a river, pool, canal, whatever body of water was nearby, to keep away. Days later, you’d come back, and there’d be nothing left.  
  
And, damn it, you’d rebuild, and start again.

The flames were meant to sterilize the earth, clear out cities, destroy forests and jungles. Wipe out anything living in the area. But, for many, the inferno on the outside only sparked brighter fires inside. The drive to fight was hardened further, quenched like a steel blade.  
  
After Eggman was gone for good\- after the last fires burned out, leaving behind ashy deposits - only burn scars and charred ruins remained. But the burning spirits inside each survivor had not been put out. That, in the end, was victory. 


	29. XXIX. ARMOR

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eggman reflects on a special aspect of his plan.

‘Old Eggman?’, they’d say. ‘He hasn’t got a chance! That old dope will never take down Sonic, or the Resistance!’

No, maybe not on paper. Not even on the battlefield. But, there was one place he  knew he was making progress in. There was a method that, with patience, could penetrate any armor, take down any army.

Sure, the hedgehog was cocky on the outside. But, with every fight, he knew the smile was a little more plastered. Through continued, precise attacks, he’d managed to plant a seed in the mammal’s mind - a seed of doubt. Of fear.

Though admittedly brave, willing to stand up for others, he was still just a boy. And, as with any adolescent, psychological development during that stage was particularly.. _malleable._ He could smash all the robots that were thrown at him, time and time again; but, with each one, he was a little more worn down. The seed was digging roots into his subconscious - the fear of loss, of defeat, of danger to those he held close. With time, it would give out from under him.

He could bounce back from hundreds, even thousands of defeats. In the battlefield of the mind, all he needed was one gradual push. 

It was simply a matter of time, to see whose resolve would fail first.


	30. XXX. RUNES

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The echidna culture isn’t going away, any time soon.

5,000 years of civilization. Now, he was the last one. Great temples of stone, great technology still not understood, a massive language only he could fully understand. For the longest time, it seemed like it would all die with him.

“Daddy? What do these letters mean?”

“These are runes, Jade. Back when there were a lot of echidnas, they used these to write. It was their alphabet.”

The child tilted her head, her tall ears twitching a bit. “Like words? Which ones?”

“Well, this one right here - it means ‘fire’...”

It would keep on, without him. Maybe he could get some help, writing it down. There was at least one person who was eager to learn them.


	31. MOON

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The moon shines on all the people of the world, the same way.

As it always had, and always would, the moon drifted across the night sky inch by inch. When one looks at it from the ground, wherever they are, they might not think too hard about it. But, the strangest thing is, everyone looks at the same moon. Their ancestors had gazed upon it, thousands of years before, as civilization creeped out of its’ cradle and into the greater world. Centuries from now, their descendants would wonder at its beauty, maybe from its surface looking down.

For now, every person on Earth was united in their love for the dull star.

On some cresting hill or city roof, a blue hedgehog looks up, thinking about all the places he’ll go, all the friends he’ll meet. A fox takes breaks from his work to peek out the window, thinking about problems and solutions, modifications and repairs. Maybe some day, his tech might go up there.

An echidna looks up at the moon, a companion since his birth, one of the few recurring visitors to his home. Ancient legend told of shapes within the stars, figures who fought beasts and would live forever in the sky.

Somewhat nearby, a bat has her eyes on the sky, too - as well as the gem a couple hundred of feet ahead. 

A black figure pauses from his tasks, looking up and thinking of how he got here. He’d come from that night sky, near that moon. Maybe, eventually, he would wind up going back. 

A hedgehog girl writes in her daily diary, recalling the events of the day. She takes a moment to gaze up. The moon’s so romantic, especially when it’s full like this.

Worlds apart, two guardians, silver and purple, look up at their moons, connected by the innate wonder it brings. 

An old man schemes at his battle-maps, ready to deploy his next plan. But, for now, it’s time for rest.

A large, purple cat sits and watches the moon, whistling a soothing tune to himself and his friend.

A trio of thieves camp out around a fire, cracking wise and gazing off, dreaming of riches that they might soon find.

In the daylight, people are separate, maybe deathly enemies. But, at night, when many sleep, they are all brought together by the deep question, the collective curiosity, of what lies beyond.

And, they all look up to the moon, as it inches across the night sky around the Earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, with that, my Sonictober 2020 series comes to an end. Thank you all so much for reading - and, Happy Halloween!


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